Delayed onset muscle soreness

As muscles (probably popular etymological Germanization of catarrh ) is called a pain that after physical exertion, especially at high loads the muscles that occurs. In most cases, this makes for several hours after each activity noticeable.

Causes

It is not yet completely on the causes of muscle soreness agree. Formerly an acidification of the muscle by lactic acid ( lactate ) was adopted. This hypothesis has been contradicted by the following facts:

• After the lactate hypothesis would have a particularly sore muscles caused by sporting activities, in which very high lactate levels are measured, such as the 400 -meter run. The practice, however, shows that it often occurs after weight training, in which not so much lactate is formed.
• Lactate has a half -life of about 20 minutes. A sore however, occurs only hours later, after the lactate level has long since normalized.

Today it is believed that - show how observations - by overloading small tears ( micro-trauma ) in the Z- discs occur in the muscle tissue. These are in a sense the outer boundaries of small sections within the Muskelfibrille. The inflammation caused by the cracks, through ingress of water ( make it yourself edema) swelling of the muscle. An immediate pain does not adapt, because there are no pain receptors within the muscle fiber. After about 12 to 24 hours of the body, however, begins to flush the inflammatory substances formed by the micro-trauma, whereby they come into contact with the outlying nerve cells.

The cracks during braking of movements ( eccentric contraction, for example, when walking downhill or cushioning of a jump ) significantly faster than when accelerating ( going uphill ).

Prevention and treatment

According to an Australian study to reduce stretching exercises before or after training a muscle only in a negligibly small extent. However, a thorough warm up the muscles before sports stress increases the muscular performance, and thus reduces the risk of overuse. Massages do not contribute to the healing of muscle soreness in, but this delay, since they represent an additional mechanical irritation of the muscles. Heat treatments, such as the natural mud application, but also warm baths and saunas ( especially right after exposure) reduce pain and contribute to accelerated recovery. The heat is used in the process of increasing the blood flow. Thus, the damaged muscle fibers are better supplied with minerals and trace elements. This contributes to an accelerated curing process.